Historic/Famous Latrobe Pennsylvania

Historic/Famous Latrobe Pennsylvania. . , (Panel 1): , OLIVER BARNES , Oliver W. Barnes was a civil engineer with the Pennsylvania Railroad. On February 18, 1851 Barnes purchased the 140 acre Thomas Kirk farm and would lay out streets and lots for a new town, which he named after a long-time friend and associate, Benjamin Latrobe., RAILROAD , The Pennsylvania Railroad, which in the 1840s began planning to extend their tracks through Westmoreland County to connect the eastern part of the state with Pittsburgh. The first train chugged through Latrobe on November 29, 1852., INDUSTRY , In the early nineteenth century, agriculture and its accompanying grist mills were the main industries in the area. The railroad and the natural resources would soon draw more industries to Latrobe. The Pennsylvania Car Works was Latrobe's first industry followed by distilleries and breweries soon to follow. However it was the steel industry that would drive Latrobe's growth and development., CHURCHES , As Irish, German, Italian, Polish, and Slovak immigrants arrived, congregations were formed by those who shared not only a religion but also a language. The United Presbyterian congregation was formed in 1853 followed by Holy Family Catholic Church and a Methodist church in 1856. The first Presbyterian Church was built in 1857, Trinity Lutheran organized in 1863 and Congregation Beth Israel formed in 1900., RECREATION , The first modern two-wheel bicycle was introduced to Latrobe in 1891 and it wasn't long until cycling clubs were formed. In the 1930s Legion-Keener Park was built on 27 acres of floodplain. In the 1950s Memorial Stadium was built, the Jaycees would build the Little League Field, and the Rogers-McFeely family provided the funds for a community swimming pool., (Panel 2): , FIRST PRO FOOTBALL TEAM , 1897 , In 1895 John Brallier was paid $10 to play quarterback for the local team. Though decades later it was discovered that Brallier was not the first paid player, Latrobe did have the first all-pro team in 1897. Ed Abbaticchio became one of the first-if not the first-two-sport professional athlete when he went on to play baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates., FIRST BANANA SPLIT , 1904 , Dr. David E. Strickler invented the popular treat in 1904. A 1901 graduate of Latrobe High school, Strickler attended the Western University of Pennsylvania (now the University of Pittsburgh) while in the evening he worked at Tassel's Pharmacy on Ligonier Street. His combination of a banana split lengthwise, three different kinds of ice cream, and toppings is a favorite amongst families across the country., FIRST NON-STOP AIRMAIL PICKUP , 1939 , On May 12, 1939 the first non-stop airmail pick-up was made at Latrobe Airport. Lytle S. "Doc" Adams' invention made it possible for the inbound plane to drop a bag of mail and make a pick-up of outbound mail simultaneously between two high poles spaced about 60 feet apart., ARNOLD PALMER , A 1947 graduate of Latrobe High School, Arnold Palmer went to Wake Forest University on scholarship where he won three Atlantic Coast Conference Championships. "Arnie" Palmer was the first golfer to win the Masters Tournament four times and is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of professional golf, having won 92 tournaments during his career., MR. ROGERS , Fred McFeely Rogers was born in Latrobe on March 20, 1928 and graduated from Latrobe High School in 1946. He was ordained as a Presbyterian Minister in 1963 with a charge to continue his work with children and families through the mass media. From 1968 until 2000 he produced Mister Rogers' Neighborhood at Pittsburgh Public Television station WOED. Fred Rogers is known worldwide as a pioneer committed to building bridges between early learning and children's media. May you have a beautiful day in his neighborhood!